We are at the home strecth of the 2012 regular season. At this point, we have a good idea about the identity of each of the team's in the league... including their likely conclusions. While some teams are completely out of contention, and others are jockeying for preferential seeding, there is a huge cluster of teams that are clawing and scratching for their postseason lives. Let's take a look at where all 32 teams stand today. - Kevin Aherne
The weather is getting colder, I see snow falling from the sky now, and my car is now getting covered in that salt residue crap. But right now, my pick'ems are red hot. After scoring an impressive 13-3 record last week, including an upset special of the Browns over the Steelers, I look forward to keeping my streak of 2 consecutive weeks of 10+ correct pick'ems going. This week, we see our usual crap in the bag games (Carolina @ KC anybody?) but at the same time there are three divisional games between teams that have a loooooonnnngggg history with one another. That being said, let's get down to business. Last Week Record: 13-3 Season Record: 99-71-1 Interesting Picks Thursday 8:20 p.m. New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons This should be a doozy. Though the Falcons boast a 10-1 record, it was the Saints gave their NFC South divisional rivals that one loss back in Week 10. Though the Saints have the worst rushing defense for the season (allowing 156.5 ypg), they were able to limit the Falcons to a mere 46 rushing yards with Michael Turner going 12 carries for 15 yards. However the Falcons still boast the deadly receiving corp of Jones-White-Gonzalez. Matt Ryan is second in the NFL in passing yards with 3,425 and boasts the 2nd highest completion percentage in the NFC at 68.5% and is facing the third worst passing defense (298.3 yards allowed per game). But on the defensive side, the Falcons will be without CB Asante Samuel and will be vulnerable to Drew Brees and that high-octance passing offense of his. Expect crazy offensive numbers but in the end, expect the Falcons to fall to 0-2 to their rivals. Pick: Saints Monday 8:30 p.m. New York Giants @ Washington Redskins Last time these two teams met back in Week 7, the Giants pulled a 27-23 come-from-behind victory over the Redskins. But during that same game, Robert Griffin III was 20 for 28 for 258 yards with 2TDs and 1INT with a QB rating 108.9 to go along with 9 carries for 89 yards on the ground. Both teams are coming off huge victories (38-31 W for the Redskins over the Cowboys and a 38-10 W for the Giants over the Packers) and are looking to try to claim the NFC East divisional crown. Historically, however, the Giants have performed poorly on Monday Night Football in general with a 22-32-1 record but are 4-2 against the Redskins. Though Eli has struggled against the 'Skins in the past (1TD against 8INT in the last 5 games against them), he still faces the second worst passing defense in the NFL (301.4 yards allowed per game). And though 'Skins were able to run on the Giants, that was without DT Chris Canty. This time he's playing at full health. Bob was able to surprise the Giants the first time, he won't be so lucky this time around. Pick: Giants Semi-Interesting Picks Sunday 1:00 Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears Seahawks are an abysmal 1-5 on the road. Also they are going to be without DBs Brandon Bowler and Richard Sherman, who are currently suspended due violating the league's PED policy for taking adderall. At the same time, the Bears are going to go into this one with RB Matt Forte banged up with an ankle problem and might be without Defensive POY candidate CB Charles Tillman due to a chipped bone in his foot. But the Bears still got Urlacher, Briggs, and Peppers on the defensive side of the ball to clog up Marshawn Lynch and at least Jay Cutler is still playing. Pick: Bears Indianapolis Colts @ Detroit Lions This could well in doubt turn into a shoot out. On the Lions, you got Matt Stafford, who currently leads the league in passing yards (3,249) and attempts (488), and he's got the NFC's top leading receiver Calvin Johnson (1,257 yards) to throw to. On the opposite side, we have Colts Andrew Luck, who currently leads all rookie QBs in passing yards (3,205), attempts (449), and completions (255), who has the AFC's top receiver Reggie Wayne (84 catches for 1,105 yards). However both teams are lacking in the running game and their defenses are less than what one might consider as a 'powerhouse/top-tier'. But the Colts have spirit and pride, not too mention coaches that can keep their composures when in an unfavorable situation. Pick: Colts New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins Historically, the Patriots have struggled down in Miami. This time around could be different. Though they will be without Gronkowski and possibly might be without Julian Edelman (concussion), the Pats still have Stephen Ridley running the ball successfully and got the Brady-Welker combo going on. On the defensive side things could get tricky as they will be without DE/LB Jermaine Cunningham (suspended for 4 games for violating league-policy on PEDs) and even with CB Aqib Talib, their passing game is still suspectible. But the Dolphins still have a rookie QB in Ryan Tannehill and RB Reggie Bush has been inconsistent all season long. The only way for the Dolphins to win is for them to try to get at Brady early and often, which is highly unlikely to happen. Pick: Patriots Thanksgiving has come and gone. While some are thankful for 10. The Florida State University Seminole Fan: Who painted her face in the mirror, apparently not sure of how a reflection works, and wrote her team's name backwards so it read 'USF' instead of 'FSU.' See, that's why you have a friend do it for you. 9.Ndakumong Suh: Deny it all you want, you kicked Schaub in the crotch. Replays don't lie, son. You make the likes of Hines Ward and Rodney Harrison proud you have taken on the mantle of the NFL's dirtiest players. 8. Notre Dame Haters: Yup, that's pretty much everybody that doesn't appreciate the gold and blue. Tell me, how does beating a FBS team like Western Carolina make Alabama a powerhouse team? Get off the SEC teet and embrace a BCS Championship game where it's not going to be another SEC snorefest. 7. Cleveland Browns' Marketing Team: Apparently they thought a 'White-Flag' giveaway before Sunday's game against the Steelers was a smart marketing idea. Didn't know you could major in Dumbass. 6. Tom Jackson: The following clip is yet again proof of Tom Jackson's brilliance Serioiusly Tom, shut the f**k. You were a half-ass NFL player and you are a half-ass commentator. But then again, this pathetic 'rant' is coming from a guy who back in 2010 picked the Patriots to kill the Jets in the Divisional playoff game, lost, but then came out and made some half-ass excuse saying he only picked the Pats to motivate the Jets. 5. Jim Schwartz: Why on God's green Earth would you throw the challenge flag on a reviewable call?! Jim: Durr...I lost my cool and got swept up in the emotion of it all...Herpa Derp. Because of that dumbasssery (I broke the Law of Merriam-Webster), it cost the Lions their lead and ultimately the game. Smooth move ex-lax 4. Black Friday Shoppers: Never understood why people would stand in line for hours in the cold to get $20 off a $400 item. Spoiler: You'll get the same kind of discount for the entire season, idiot. 3. NHL Owners: Cannot understand the logic of these owners: "Oh, we're losing profits because we sign players to these ridiculous amounts of money, we decide to have teams in markets that are horrible for hockey like in Phoenix, Florida, and Nashville. So let's lockout the players, cancel the very popular Winter Classic games as well as the All-Star game, and lose the season after we posted record numbers last year in attendance and popularity." F*****g idiots. 2. Mark Sanchez: The following clip has been rated 'WTF' for sheer stupidity. That pretty much summarized the game and the season for Mr. Sanchez.
Double Turkey: Chris Collinsworth was wrong... as usual. Wilfork did not throw OG Brandon Moore into Sanchez. Sanchez ran into Moore's ass and fumbled the ball. Seriously, I think everybody in the stands knew that. 1. New York Jets: Watching a high school football game would have been more entertaining. Seriously, how can a team allow their opponent to score 3 TDs in 52 seconds and 35 points in a single quarter? Also, why did you dress a guy with a rib injury that you neglected to mention to everybody else before? Why did you bring in a guy who can't tell the difference between a goal line and the line of scrimmage as your offensive coordinator? Why do you guys f****g suck?! When Fireman Ed, a diehard Jets Fan, hangs up his hat in shame, you know you've f****d up royally. Well that's it for Fox's Weekend Turkeys. Hey folks that if you screw up or do something dumb, just remember you could have been these jive ass turkeys. -Ryan L. Fox This past Monday evening we saw an exciting new chapter of New York basketball tip off as the new look Brooklyn Nets hosted the New York Knicks for the first time in Brooklyn’s new billion dollar facility, the Barclays Center. The on-court product delivered, as the Nets defeated the Knicks in an intense 96-89 overtime battle. Aside from the new stunning location, this wasn't your average run of the mill November Knicks vs. Nets matchup. This was the first time the new inner-city matchup has taken place on a national stage, as TNT aired a rare Monday broadcast. The game was moved from its original date due to the devastation of Super Storm Sandy weeks prior. This game served as a platform for all in the New York/New Jersey Area to start the process of carrying on with day to day life after suffering such devastation just weeks ago. It also was a sign that the new-look Brooklyn Nets are to be taken seriously, from a rejuvenated fan-base chanting “Brooklyn” along with Biggie Smalls’ voice on the PA, to Jay-Z's impact on this franchise and connection to the New York fans, there is clearly something special happing in Brooklyn. The most special element about the new-look Nets may be the on court product, which may be a dark house collection of talent to compete for the Eastern Conference crown. From the signing of Joe Johnson and Deron Williams, to the development of young players like Brook Lopez, and Providence College's Marshon Brooks, to the contributions of veterans Reggie Evans and Jerry Stackhouse, the Nets on court product is the best it has been since current Knick Jason Kidd was talking them to the NBA finals. Get excited Brooklyn fans, the Nets just may be the new toast of the town. - Joe Passarelli - Kevin Aherne
When the final gun had sounded, the last second ticked off, and before the last fan had left Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, it was finally official. After twelve grueling weeks, playing arguably the toughest schedule in all of NCAA FBS, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have claimed not only the #1 ranking, but a chance for immortality in BCS history. That's right folks, the 12-0 Fighting Irish are going to Miami for a chance at the BCS National Championship Game. It was nearly 23 years ago that the Fighting Irish last played in the National Championship, beating the West Virginia Mountaineers 34-21 under the guide of Lou Holtz. Since then, Notre Dame has either come close to but just barely missed out (in '89 and '93), experienced a string of bowl game losses (9 bowl games from 95-07), or didn't even come close to getting a bowl game invite. During that time frame, Notre Dame suffered from lackluster coaches from the likes of Bob Davie, Tyrone Willingham, and Charlie Weis. But since Brian Kelly was hired on as Head Coach, the team has been performing at a consistent level of play, making bowl games his first two years and now a third one in 2012. This season alone Notre Dame has been playing at an elite level, led by a defense that ranks #1 in points allowed (10.1) and #5 in total yards allowed (288.3 YPG). They held high scoring teams like Oklahoma, USC, and Stanford to pedestrian numbers, and held 6 of their opponents to 10 points or less. And let's not forget to mention that in games against Stanford, Pittsburgh, and BYU that Notre Dame fought their way back after trailing going into the 4th quarter. Now it'll be 6 weeks till when Notre Dame lace up their cleats to take the field against their next opponent, which will more than likely be the winner of the Alabama/Georgia SEC Title Game. Six weeks is a long to wait for any football game. But the Fighting Irish know that sometimes good things come to those who wait. They will still practice hard, look at game film, and listen to their coaches. In the end, they got their eyes on the prize: bringing home a BCS Championship Trophy back to South Bend, Indiana. Good luck and godspeed. -Ryan L. Fox They say that good things come to those who wait and that you will be rewarded for your hard work and effort. In the case of Arnie Beyler, got a big time reward for his hard work and effort. After 12 years managing in the minor leagues, including 9 within the Red Sox, Arnie finally got the call up to coach in the major league club. Arnie will be the new First Base Coach for John Farrell's 2013 Red Sox coaching staff, replacing Alex Ocha. This move was overdue. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, Arnie Beyler had spent 9 years managing in the Red Sox farm system (2000-2001, Lowell Spinners NY-Penn Short A, 2002 Augusta GreenJackets, 2007-20010 Portland Sea Dogs Double-A). More recently, he was the skipper of the Triple-A Red Sox affiliate, the Pawtucket Red Sox from 2011-2012. In that time span, the Paw Sox went 160-126 with two consecutive playoff berths and a Governor's Cup Trophy from this past season. This move could be beneficial to the Red Sox as Arnie has coached at least half of the Red Sox players on the roster like Daniel Nava, Ryan Lavarnway, Jose Iglesias, Will Middlebrooks, Pedro Ciriaco, Junichi Tazawa just to name a few. It took some time, a lot of coaching, and a lot of hardwork. But now it's your time to shine Arnie, time to show them why you were so successful in Pawtucket. Good luck and godspeed. -Ryan L. Fox Gooble! Gooble! Gooble! It's Week 11 in the NFL, the 2nd best time of the football year. Why you may ask? Because it's mother fucking Thanksgiving Week, yeah! Of course we got the two turkeys playing on Thanksgiving (Cowboys and Lions), plus a third game that could be the talk of two regional areas. Then on Sunday we got 5 Divisional games, including two NFC playoff rematches that could be the things to come again come January. That being said, let's get started. Last Week Record: 11-3 Season Record: 86-68-1 Thanksgiving Thursday Picks 12:30 p.m.: Houston Texans @ Detroit Lions This is the first time the Texans get to play on Thanksgiving Day. The good news is that they are playing the Lions, who have a 33-37-2 record and lost 8 consecutive. After today, make it 9 and pencil in Houston as 10-1 Pick: Texans 4:15 p.m.: Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys Yehaw! Nothin' like an ol' Cowboys vs. Indians to get the blood pumping, eh heh heh heh heh! That being said, Cowboys have pulled within 1 game of the NFC East division lead with a sloppy 23-20 OT win against the Browns. Unfortunately for them, they got the case of the injury bug on offense. On the Redskins side, they are finally going to get Pierre Garcon back after missing weeks with a foot injury. RGIII will take the #1 ranked offensive rushing attack and make Jerry Jones look like a jive ass turkey. Pick: Redskins 8:20 p.m.: New England Patriots @ New York Jets Losing TE Rob Gronkowski is going to hurt the Patriots. Not only does he provide the perfect receiving mismatch, expanding Brady's passing options, but he can block for the running game. Fellow TE Aaron Hernandez is still showing signs of his high ankle sprain is still bothering him. on the defensive side, even with newly acquried CB Aquib Talib, the Patriots defense continue to slide in defensive rankings in all categories. This will be the only time for the Jets to make some noise. They missed out on a 29-26 OT loss at Gillette a few weeks ago so now this is it. Pick: Jets Games to Watch: Sunday 4:25 p.m. San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints A rematch of the Divisional Playoff game that was a nail biter and toe biter, a 36-32 victory for the 49ers in San Francisco Now things are different as we shift to the Superdome in New Orleans for this classic showdown of top defense vs. top offense. Coming into this game, we have the Saints winning 3 games in a row to get to 5-5, including upsetting the 'perfect Falcons' in Atlanta in Week 10. Drew Brees leads the 2nd ranked passing attack with his 3,066 yards and NFL leading 28 TDs. But on the 49ers side, they boast the 2nd best overall defense in the league, including 2nd ranked against the pass. Though the 49ers may be without starter Alex Smith, Colin Kerpatrick showed that he could step in and efficiently run the offense. Expect a lot of ground and pound by Frank Gore against a Saints defense that has given up 157.8 rushing yards (32nd overall). Though the Saints might have an advantage that it's being played in their dome, the 49ers have t Pick: 49ers Sunday 8:20 p.m. Green Bay Packers @ New York Giants Like the 49ers-Saints, this here is another rematch of the other NFC Divisional playoff game, a stunning 37-20 blowout victory by the Giants who outplayed the Packers on all sides of the ball. But when they met in Week 13 last season, it was a 38-35 W for the Packers. Normally this would be a game Giants fans are nervous about since Big Blue is 4-5 under Tom Coughlin after a bye week. However Eli Manning and the Giants got some rest and regrouped with some of their key players (i.e. Bradshaw, Brown, Nicks, Snee, Phillips, Rolle) were able to rest up and heal up as much as possible. Over on the Packers side, Green Bay has been winning games while seeing their top defenders (Woodson, Matthews) and top offense players (Jennings, Bulaga) go down with injuries. Not too mention that Aaron Rodgers has gone 85-129 (65.9% completion) for 982 yds, 11TD and 2INT in his last four games, all Ws. It could be another shootout between these two teams but what will seperate them will be the fact that the Packers will be without Clay Matthews yet again. Without him, expect Big Blue to make Packers fans turn green. Pick: Giants As we embark on a tradition of food, family and football this Thursday, this WBOB Sports writer has compiled his own personal list of ten things to be thankful for. It may not be a six-legged half turkey, half duck, and half chicken, however this sports writer has a cornucopia of reasons to be thankful this holiday season. 10. Backup Quarterbacks: This Monday’s matchup features two teams, in the Bears and the 49ers, who have Super Bowl aspirations. Last week both starting quarterbacks Alex Smith and Jay Cutler went down with concussions. Thankfully both teams have solid backups in Jason Campbell and Colin Kaepernick, salvaging at least some hope that this week’s game won't be a battle between two Super Bowl defenses plus David Akers vs. Robbie Gould. 9. Celtic Shooting Guards: With Avery Bradley coming off of offseason shoulder surgery, and Ray Allen taking his talents to south beach, the Celtics have received a great infusion of depth with Jason Terry, Barbosa, and Lee. If and when Bradley comes back, the Celtics will have a surplus of talent at the shooting guard position. Which is a great relief considering after Ray on shoe string ankles and Bradley with one shoulder, the only 2 guard the C's had at their disposal was journey man Keyon Dooling. 8. Refs Back to Work: Maybe the NFL refs aren't perfect, however it's great to see the pro's back to work on a consistent basis, instead of a bunch of glorified wine tasters having the final say in a sport which is a multimedia conglomerate. 7. Carson Palmer: If you're like me and have been handcuffed by the slumping Cam Newton as your fantasy QB, you have been probably frantically searching the waiver wire for a diamond in the rough. Well look no further than Raiders QB Carson Palmer. One of the least talked about stories in sports has been the remarkably consistent play of the Bengals former signal caller. I recently traded for Palmer in one of my leagues, who believe it or not, has as many points as comeback player of the year and MVP candidate Peyton Manning. Although the Raiders are not exactly pilling up wins, the play of Palmer has kept the Raiders a competitive team this season. 6. The NHL: Wait a minute, never mind. 5. Strike Force Closing: After being purchased by the UFC ownership group Zuffa over a year ago, Strikeforce will close its doors for good this January on Showtime. As StrikeForce finally shuts down, it gives rise for the UFC to adopt the one good element of Strike Force… women's MMA. This group is led by the face of Women's MMA, Strike Force Bantam Weight Champion, and the beautiful and destructive Ronda Rousey. 4. Aaron Hernandez: The Pats caught a bad break as Gronk suffered a broken forearm in the Pats dominant victory over the Colts. The stud tight end is going to be out from 4-6 weeks. Thankfully TE Aaron Hernandez appears to be back and ready to play against the Jets Thursday night. Hernandez has had an injury filled nightmare season, after signing a multiyear extension with New England. Thanks giving is his chance to show the Pats some production, after Hernandez was shown the money this past offseason. 3. Aqib Talib: After the Pats gave up a fourth round draft pick to receive the services of Talib for the rest of the season, New England could not be more optimistic about the debut of #31. Talib's presence was on display this past Sunday in the Pat's trouncing of the Colts, including a game changing pick 6 on hot shot rookie Andrew Luck. It's truly amazing the difference one good corner back can make, on a secondary which had been historically bad prior to the Talib's arrival. 2. GSP: After an 18 month layoff due to a torn ACL. George 'Rush' St. Pierre returned in legendary fashion as GSP survived a scare in the 3th round in route a decision victory over UFC interim Welterweight champion Carlos Condett. Condett was game in the loss, providing the greatest challenge GSP has faced in his current title reign. With the victory, St. Pierre ties former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes with 9 consecutive title defenses, which is he record for most consecutive title defenses in any weight class in UFC History. Up next for GSP may be a dream fight against UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson 'The Spider' Silva, which may take place next May. 1. Notre Dame: After years of struggles throughout most of my lifetime, the Notre Dame fighting Irish are one win (against USC) away from a berth in the National Championship game. Thanks to losses to Oregon, Alabama, and Kansas St. in recent weeks, the fighting Irish control their own National Championship destiny. Truly one of the biggest draws in all of sports, similar to the New York Yankees, LA Lakers or Dallas Cowboys, when the Irish are relevant, it perks the interest of the casual fan worldwide. Notre Dame's success is one of the many reasons why this has been one of the best college football seasons in recent memory. - Joe Passarelli Melky Cabrera will no longer be playing professional baseball for a US Team. The 2012 All-Star Game MVP, who vacated his NL batting title in shame is taking his talents to Canada. The Toronto Blue Jays made their second big move of the hot stove season this weekend, bringing in the former Yankee and Giant outfielder Cabrera with a two-year, 16 Million Dollar contract. Melky Cabrera hit .346 with 11 Home Runs and 60 RBI before spending the final 50+ games of the 2012 season under suspension for a positive test of a banned substance. Many other teams bypassed the opportunity to sign Melky and his tarnished reputation. However Toronto is shoiwng its willingness to roll the dice this off-season. Twenty years of perpetual mediocrity can weigh on a team's fan base. Since winning consecutive World Series titles in 1992 and 1993, the Toronto Blue Jays have failed to make the playoffs once. They have managed to put together some winning seasons (85-77 in 2010), but Boston and New York have been the dominant teams in the division for the past two decades. Tampa and Baltimore have stepped up their efforts in recent years, establishing themselves as competitive teams, and successfully altering the AL East's status quo. Toronto seems ready to join into the mix, invest some money into their roster, and make moves to contend with the big boys. They already made a big splash last week witht the mega-deal that brought five Major League starters into Ontario. They acquired everyday players Jose Reyes, Emilio Bonifacio, John Buck, along with pitchers Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson from the Miami Marlins. In exchange Toronto sent Yunel Escobar, Jeff Mathis, and five top prospects down to South Beach. With these two moves, Toronto may currently be the team to beat in their division, but the hot stove is just starting to heat up... - Kevin Aherne |
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